Heel tightener for ski bindings



G. ADAM HEEL TIGHTENER FOR SKI BINDINGS Oct. 1, 1968 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8. 1966 J il 77751 27175: P :4Qa )7? Oct. 1, 1968 G, D

HEEL TIGHTENER FOR SKI BINDINGS 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 8, 1966 v m mm m/ho Oct. 1, 1968 G. ADAM HEEL TIGHTENER FOR SKI BINDINGS 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 8, 1966 62277737 Add? I Oct. 1, 1968 G. ADAM HEEL TIGHTENER FOR SKI BINDINGS Filed March 8. 1966 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 G-wTer fidq 777 Oct. 1, 1968 G M 3,4035920 HEEL TIGHTENER FOR SKI BINDINGS Filed March 8. 1966 9 Sheets-Sheet 25 Jul /5M 72% 92W Oct. 1, 1968 G. ADAM 3,403,920

HEEL- TIGHTENER FOR SKI BINDINGS Filed March a, 1966 9 Sheets-Sheet s iLTQE'IL YTAVAVIIH G21 71 7 6) Add 777 A/mMAmLVWMQ, 91%

Oct. 1, 1968 G. ADAM 3,403,920

' HEEL TIGHTENE 'JQ FOR SKI BINDINGS Filed March 8, 1966 9 Sheets-Sheet '7 K I I 7 I 1/] D- fi 36 a f f: ail-J 9 31 m HFPTI m ugh A W17 1 IE [I L I6 32 34 3o 33 Fig.6

Z'771/)7T07' 12777 er/Qdam Oct. 1, 1968 G. ADAM HEEL TIGHTENER FOR SKI BINDINGS 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 8, 1966 1771 6015) G inTer A011? J2EE Ja Brh Oct. 1, 1968 G. ADAM HEEL TIGHTENER FOR SKI BINDINGS 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed March 8, 1966 United States Patent 3,403,920 HEEL TIGHTENER FOR SKI BINDINGS Giinter Adam, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, as-

signor to Hannes Marker, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany Filed Mar. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 532,742 Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 10, 1965, M 64,478 9 Claims. (Cl. 280-1135) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A heel tightener for ski bindings in combination with a ski and a boot, the improvement comprising two tensile elements extending along opposite sides of the heel of the boot and held to the ski at a part forward of the rear of the heel groove of the boot, a three-sided frame member opening forward and extending behind the heel generally in the direction of the tensile elements, a pusher shaped to fit the opening of the frame member and connected to the rear part of the latter for pivotal movement about an axis oriented transverse to the ski and generally parallel to the surface of the ski, the forward end of said pusher being shaped to engage the heel groove, when not in the clamping position said pusher being pivotally movable out of the frame member in a relative direction away from the ski surface and in the clamping position said pusher being pivotally moved to a position generally parallel with the frame member with the pushers forward end engaging the heel groove and the rear part of the frame rotated upward and forward relative thereto, said frame including an abutment to prevent pivotal movement of the pusher beyond the frame member when the pusher is being pivoted relative to the frame member and ski surface, at least one spring coupled to and acting generally in the direction of the tensile elements being operatively coupled to act between the frame and the tensile elements to impart tension to the tensile elements when the frame and pusher are in their clamping position and to apply a clamping force to the heel groove through the frame member and pusher when in the clamping position.

The known foretighteners for ski bindings have the disadvantage that a long encircling cable is always required, which extends from the foretightener to the heel of the skiing boot and embraces this heel, and that this wire cable must be pulled through against a very high friction under the downpull hooks whenever the tightener is being closed. As a result of this stress, the Protective sleeve of these encircling cables sufifers permanent deformation and damage after a relatively short time of use. These effects endanger the further utility of these cables, particularly if the respective foretightener is provided with a safety device so that it opens during a forward fall.

In numerous known heel tighteners, a strong friction between the heel groove and the curved helical tension springs connected to the heel tightener and engaging the heel groove must be overcome whenever the tightener lever is being closed. This results in a heavy wear of the heel groove, renders the closing movement of the tightener lever more difficult, and further results in a jerky closing operation. In the conventional heel tighteners, the tightener lever must be swung to one side, which is diflicult when the skier is in the squatting position required for this operation.

Other known heel tighteners for ski bindings comprise a pivoted lever, which has the form of a cylindrical housing and accommodates a strong helical tension spring, which cooperates with a bevelled surface, a lever system or the like in such a manner that a pusher, which is connected to the pivoted lever and engages the heel groove, is

urged forwardly and downwardly. In this case the closing or opening movement still involves a large effort. Besides, the helical spring must be oversize because it does not act directly in the direction of the desired push but its force must be transmitted by the above-mentioned bevelled surfaces or levers.

The invention proposes a heel tightener for ski bindings, which tightener is free of the disadvantages of the known tighteners which have just been described. This object is accomplished according to the invention in that two tensile elements, which extend along opposite sides of the heel of the boot and are directly or indirectly secured to the ski, bear on a forwardly open, three-sided frame member, which extends behind the heel approximately in the direction of the tensile element, and a pusher, which fits the opening of the frame member, is mounted in the latter close to its rear end for pivotal movement about an axis which is transverse to the ski and parallel to the surface of the ski, the forward end of said pusher being engageable in the heel groove, said pusher being pivotally movable out of the frame member in an upward direc tion to a large extent whereas in its clamping position it is approximately parallel to the frame member and engages an abutment on the frame member, which abutment prevents a downward pivotal movement of the pusher out of the frame member, said pusher being adapted to be locked in its clamping position, at least one spring, which acts generally in the direction of the tensile elements, being provided between the forward end of the pusher and the means whereby the tensile elements are secured to the ski. In the heel tightener according to the invention, the use of a pusher which is pivoted to the frame member at the rear end of the latter has the results that it is sufficient to engage the heel groove with the forward end of the pusher, which has been swung upwardly out of the frame member, whereafter the frame member is gripped at its rear cross bar and pulled upwardly until the clamping position has been reached. The springs may be provided in the pusher, which consists of two parts in this case, or between the frame member and the tensile elements, or between the tensile elements and the points where the same are attached to the ski. During the above-mentioned operation of the frame mem her, the springs are stressed so that they exert the desired pushing force.

It is particularly suitable if the tensile elements extend in known manner along the limbs of the frame and each tensile element bears through a helical compression spring on the respective limb. In this case the helical compression springs and/or the tensile elements may be guided on the limbs of the frame in such a manner that any detrimental friction is precluded.

In order to design the heel tightener according to the invention as a safety device to prevent injury in the case of a forward fall of the user, one of the tensile elements may be connected to the frame member in known manner by a load-limiting coupling, which is released in response to an excessively high tension. In this development of the heel tightener according to the invention, the respective tensile element will become completely detached from the frame member under the action of an excessively strong force acting at right angles to the surface of the ski so that the heel of the boot is suddenly released. After the release, the tensile element may be connected back to the frame member in a manner which is known per se and need not be described more fully.

To retain the pusher in its clamping position, in which it is approximately parallel to the frame member, when the heel tightener according to the invention has been tightened, the pusher member may be provided with a spring-loaded locking bolt, which in the clamping position of the pusher engages a corresponding opening in the frame member. In this case, the locking may be effected before the center plane of the pusher has been swung into the center plane of the frame member. In order to obtain a safety release action in this embodiment, the above-described load-limiting coupling may be provided between one of the tensile elements and the frame member, or, in a further development of the invention, the locking bolt may be movable out of its locking position against the spring force by means of an unlocking member, which is connected to at least one of the tensile elements and is operative when the deflection of the spring exceeds a preferably selectable amount. As soon as the spring deflection exceeds the preset amount, the unlocking member is urged in such a manner against a compo nent which is connected to the locking bolt that the latter is retracted. In a particularly desirable arrangement, the unlocking member may consist of a sheet metal element, which is secured to a bridge member that connects the ends of the two tensile elements, the sheet metal element being adjustable along said bridge member in the transverse direction of the ski and having an edge, which is oblique with respect to the pulling direction and cooperates with a pin that is provided on the locking bolt and protrudes outwardly through an elongated hole of the pusher.

In an alternative embodiment, a locking of the pusher in its clamping position may be enabled by providing for a downward pivotal movement of the pusher from its position parallel to the frame member through a small angle, which amounts preferably to about until the pusher engages the abutment provided on the frame member. In this case the locking is effected by a pivotal movement of the pusher through its dead center position, behind which the pusher engages the abutment. In this embodiment too, a safety release action may be provided for by a load-limiting coupling. It is alternatively possible according to the invention to provide an unlocking member which is connected to at least one of the tensile elements, and to provide the pusher with a stop face for the unlocking member, which stop face is preferably adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the pusher, the unlocking member being arranged to effect a pivotal movement of the frame member and pusher relative to each other beyond the dead center position when the unlocking member applies pressure to the stop face. As soon as the pusher has been raised above the dead center position, the release will be eflfected immediately. Then the springs too act in a sense to release the foot. In this embodiment, where the locking is effected by a pivotal movement of the pusher beyond its dead center position, a safety release action may be provided for by holding the pivot in its normal position by two slide members, each of which is associated with one of the tensile elements, and releasing the pivotal axis when the spring deflection ex ceeds a predetermined amount.

Further features of the invention Will be explained hereinafter with reference to the drawing, which shows various embodiments by way of example.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a first embodiment of a heel tightener according to the invention and shows in dotted lines the position of one tensile element and of the associated helical spring after a release in the case due to a forward fall.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing the heel tightener assembly according to FIG. 1 before the engagement with the heel groove of the skiing boot, and

FIG. 3 shows the heel tightener assembly according to FIG. 1 in clamping position.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view showing a second embodiment of a heel tightener according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation showing the embodiment of FIG. 4 before the engagement with the heel groove.

FIG. 6 shows the embodiment of FIG. 4 in clamping position with the heel tightener proper shown in a sectional view taken on line VIVI of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment in a bottom view without the means for fixation to the ski.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line VIIIVIII of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows the heel tightener of FIG. 7 in clamping position in a sectional view taken on line IX-IX of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view showing a further embodiment of a heel tightener according to the invention.

FIG. 11 is a view showing the heel tightener of FIG. 10 partly in longitudinal section in its clamping position.

FIG. 12 shows the tightener of FIG. 10 at the beginning of the release action.

FIG. 1 shows a turntable 1, which is not a subject matter of the present invention and for this reason will not be described in more detail. The cable sections 2 and 3 are secured to the turntable 1 and can be adjusted in length. Each cable section 2 and 3 carries at its end a thimble 4 or 5. Each of the thimbles 4 and 5 bears by a spring washer 6 or 7 on a helical compression spring 8 or 9, which surrounds the thimble and the end portion of the cable. As is apparent on the right in FIG. 1, the forward turn of each helical spring 8 or 9 is interengaged with a hook portion of a frame member 10. When a fall of the skier causes a strong rearward and upward pressure to be applied to the frame member, the springs 8 and 9 will be compressed by the spring washers 6 and 7. The locking bolt 11 is secured in the thimble 4 and its effective length can be varied by screwing the bolt in a tapped bore of the thimble. As soon as the spring 8 has been compressed so that the free end of the locking bolt 11 has been pulled out of the opening formed in the keeper 12 for guiding said bolt, the pull of the cable will effect a pivotal movement of the spring 8 with the cable section 2 and the thimble 4 about a fulcrum edge, which is not shown. As a result, the spring 8 is disengaged from the retaining hook so that the cable section 2 with the spring 8 and the thimble 4 becomes entirely detached from the frame member 10. It is difficult or impossible to compress the spring 8 by hand. When it is desired to restore the spring 8 to its locking position, the locking bolt 11 is inserted into the opening provided for this bolt in the keeper 12 and the latter is urged upwardly in the drawing by means of the spring washer 6 until the forward turn of the spring 8 has engaged behind the retaining hook. The pivotal movement of the keeper 12 results in a deformation of the rubber spring 13, which normally urges the keeper against the frame member 10. The spring 9 and the thimble 5 are permanently connected to the frame member 10. For this purpose, a slide pin 14 is riveted into the keeper 12 and protrudes into a bore of the thimble 5 to such an extent that the pin will not leave said bore even under the greatest practically conceivable reduction of the length of the spring 9.

The frame member 10 consists of the limbs 15 and 16 and the rear cross-bar 17, which carries the keeper 12. The frame member 10 is provided according to the invention close to the cross-bar 17 with a shaft 18, on which a pusher 19 is pivotally mounted. The pusher fits the opening of the frame member 10 and, as is shown in FIG. 2, can be pivotally moved upwardly out of the frame member to a relatively large extent. The forward portion of the frame member is provided with a stop rod 20, which is arranged to engage the pusher 19 when the same has been pivotally moved to its dead center position and further downwardly by a relatively small angle, preferably amounting to about 5, to the position shown in FIG. 3. The forward end of the pusher 19 has a roller 21, which conforms to the curvature of the heel groove and facilitates the closing movement.

When it is desired to close the heel tightener, the pusher 19 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 2 and the roller 21 is engaged in the heel groove 22. Now the cross-bar"17 can be pulled upwardly so that the heel tightener can be moved to its tightening position, shown in FIG. 3, without great eflfort. In clamping position, the

pusher 19 is locked because it has been moved beyond its dead center position. During this movement, the springs 8 and 9 are stressed and tend to push the boot 23 forwardly against the toe iron, not shown, of the ski binding. In this arrangement, an optimum utilization of springs 8 and 9 is obtained because these springs extend exactly in the direction in which their action is desired. The heel tightener according to the invention can also be opened in a simple manner and without a great effort because a relatively large eflort arm is available when the heel tightener is to be opened by a downward pressure applied to the cross-bar 17 so that the tightener returns to the position shown in FIG. 2.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, those elements of construction which agree in function with elements of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 are indicated by the same reference characters and their description will not be repeated..In this embodiment, the heel tightener is tightened in the same manner as in the embodiment which has just been described. The release device is different. The thimbles 4 and 5 are guided on both sides on the frame member by guide pins so that they cannot become detached from the frame member. To provide for a release action in response to an excessively large tension, the frame member of this embodiment is pivotally moved downwardly beyond its dead center position so that the boot is immediately released from the binding.

For this purpose, the two spring Washers 6 and 7 are interconnected by a bridgelike unlocking member 24, which carries a roller 25. When the heel of the boot is being lifted from the ski, the unlocking member 24 moves relative to the frame member 10 and the pusher 19 in response to the deflection of springs 8 and 9. A screw 27 is adjustably secured in an elongated hole 26 of the pusher member 19 and is threaded into a tapped dead-ended bore formed in a stop member 28, which has a run-up face 29, which is oblique with respect to the direction of movement of the unlocking member 24. As soon as the springs 8 and 9 have been compressed to a predetermined extent, which depends on the setting of the screw 27 in the elongated hole 26, the roller will engage the run-up surface 29 and during a continued movement will depress the frame member about the pivot 18 by means of the stop member 28. As soon as this pivotal movement has caused the center plane of the frame member 10 to lie below the center plane of the pusher 19, beyond the dead center position, the pusher 19 is free to swing upwardly and the foot is immediately released.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the pusher 19 is not swung through its dead center position during the tightening of the heel tightener but engages the stop 20 when the center plane of the pusher has still a small angular spacing above the center plane of the frame member 10, as is apparent from FIG. 9. A slide member 31 is provided with a locking bolt 30 and mounted in a bore of the pusher 19 and loaded by the helical spring 32. As soon as the pusher 19 has reached the above-mentioned clamping position, this slide member 31 causes its locking bolt 30 to engage a corresponding opening 33 in the limb 16 of the frame member 10 so that the pusher 19 is locked in its clamping position. To enable an automatic snapping of the locking bolt 30 into position when the heel tightener is being tightened, the locking bolt is provided with a suitable bevelled face. The locking bolt 30 comprises also a pin 34, which extends outwardly through an elongated hole 35 of the pusher 19. The spring washers 6 and 7 ar again interconnected by a bridgelike unlocking member 24, to which an unlocking plate 36 of sheet metal is secured in this embodiment. The plate 36 has an oblique edge 37. When the springs 8 and 9 have been deflected in excess of a predetermined amount, this oblique edge engages the pin 34 and displaces the same to the left in the drawing when the springs are further compressed. As soon as the locking bolt 30 has thus been moved out of the opening 33, the boot is released from the binding. To enable an adjustment of the tension which causes the release,

or of the extent to which the springs must be deflected before a release is effected, the unlocking plate 36 is adjustable in the transverse direction of the bridge member 24. For this purpose, the plate 36 is formed with an elongated hole 38, through which screws 39 extend, which are threaded into the bridge member 24.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10-12, the shaft 18 which carries the pusher 19 is slidable in rearwardly inclined slots 40 in the frame member 10. Each of the spring washers 6 and 7 is provided with a locking extension 41, which normally holds the shaft 18 in the position shown in FIG. 11. When the roller 21 is engaged in the heel groove 22 and the frame member 10 is raised with the shaft 18 in its normal position, the pusher 19 will move through its dead center position into the clamping position shown in FIG. 11 and will be locked in this clamping position. When an excessively high tension causes a reduction of the length of the helical springs 8 and 9 to the extent which is shown in FIG. 12, the locking extension 41 of the spring washer 6 or 7 will release the shaft 18, which then slides rearwardly in the slots 40 so that the pusher 19 is displaced beyond its dead center position and the heel tightener is opened immediately.

What is claimed is:

1. A heel tightener for ski bindings in combination with a ski and a boot, the improvement comprising two tensile elements extending along opposite sides of the heel of the boot and held to the ski at a part forward of the rear of the heel groove of the boot, a three-sided frame member opening forward and extending behind the heel generally in the direction of the tensile elements, a pusher shaped to fit the opening of the frame member and connected to the rear part of the latter for pivotal movement about an axis oriented transverse to the ski and generally parallel to the surface of the ski, the forward end of said pusher being shaped to engage the heel groove, when not in the clamping position said pusher being pivotally moved out of the frame member in a relative direction away from the ski surface and in the clamping position said pusher being pivotally moved to a position generally parallel with the frame member with the pushers forward end engaging the heel groove and the rear part of the frame rotated upward and forward relative thereto, said frame including an abutment to prevent pivotal movement of the pusher beyond the frame member when the pusher is being pivoted relative to the frame member and ski surface, at least one spring coupled to and acting generally in the di rection of the tensile elements being operatively coupled to act between the frame and the tensile elements to impart tension to the tensile elements when the frame and pusher are in their clamping position and to apply a clamping force to the heel groove through the frame member and pusher when in the clamping position.

2. A heel tightener according to claim 1, characterized in that the tensile elements extend along the opposite sides of the frame and each tensile element bears through a helical compression spring on the respective frame side.

3. A heel tightener according to claim 2, characterized in that one of the tensile elements is connected to the frame member by a load-limiting coupling releasable in response to an excessively high tension.

4. A heel tightener according to claim 1, characterized in that the pusher is provided with a spring-loaded locking bolt, which in the clamping position of the pusher engages a corresponding opening in the frame member.

5. A heel tightener according to claim 4, characterized in that the locking bolt is movable out of its locking position against the spring force by means of an unlocking member, which is connected to at least one of the tensile elements and is operative when the deflection of the spring exceeds a preferably selectable amount.

6. A heel tightener according to claim 5, characterized in that the unlocking member consists of a sheet metal element, secured to a bridge member that connects the ends of the two tensile elements, the sheet metal element being adjustable along said bridge member in the transverse direction of the ski and having an edge, oblique with respect to the pulling direction and cooperating with a pin that is provided on the locking bolt and protrudes outwardly through an elongated hole of the pusher.

7. A heel tightener according to claim 1, characterized in that the pusher in the clamping position is pivoted downward relative to the plane of the frame through an angle approximating about 5, whereupon the pusher engages the abutment provided on the frame member.

8. A heel tightener according to claim 7, characterized in that an unlocking member is connected to at least one of the tensile elements and the pusher is provided with a stop face for the unlocking member, which stop face is preferably adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the pusher, the unlocking member being arranged to effect a pivotal movement of the frame member and pusher relative to each other beyond the dead center position when the unlocking member applies pressure to the stop face.

9. A heel tightener according to claim 7, characterized in that the pivotal axis on which the pusher is mounted in the frame member is displaceable out of its normal position so that the pusher is moved beyond its dead center position, the pivotal axis is held in its normal position by two slidable locking members, each of which is connected to one of the tensile elements, and the pivot is released by said slidable locking members when the spring deflection exceeds a predetermined amount.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,055,673 9/1962 Marker 28011.35

3,249,365 5/1966 Beyl 280-11.35

3,305,242 2/1967 Marker 280-11.35

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,110,856 10/ 1955 France.

1,190,118 3/1959 France.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

20 MILTON L. SMITH, Assistant Examiner. 

